acetylcholinesterase

acetylcholinesterase

[as″ĕ-til-ko″lin-es´ter-ās]

an enzyme present in nervous tissue, muscle, and red blood cells that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetylcholine to choline and acetic acid. This enzyme is present throughout the body, but is particularly important at the myoneural junction, where the nerve fibers terminate. Acetylcholine is released when a nerve impulse reaches a myoneural junction. It diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to cholinergic receptors on the muscle fibers, causing them to contract. cholinesterase splits acetylcholine into its components, thus stopping stimulation of the muscle fibers. The end products of the metabolism of acetylcholine are taken up by nerve fibers and resynthesized into acetylcholine. The drugs neostigmine, physostigmine, and pyridostigmine inhibit acetylcholinesterase and are used to treat myasthenia gravis, a disease in which the cholinergic receptors are attacked by autoantibodies. The drug extends the effect of acetylcholine on the muscle fiber. Called also true cholinesterase

a·ce·tyl·cho·lin·es·ter·ase

(a-sĕ'til-kō'lin-es'ter-ās), [MIM*100740]

The cholinesterase that hydrolyzes acetylcholine to acetate and choline within the central nervous system and at peripheral neuroeffector junctions (for example, motor endplates and autonomic ganglia).

acetylcholinesterase

/ac·e·tyl·cho·lin·es·ter·ase/ (AChE) (-ko″lĭ-nes´ter-ās) an enzyme present in the central nervous system, particularly in nervous tissue, muscle, and red cells, that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetylcholine to choline and acetic acid.

acetylcholinesterase

(ə-sēt′l-kō′lə-nĕs′tə-rās′, -rāz′)

n.

An enzyme in the blood and in certain tissues that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetylcholine.

acetylcholinesterase (AChE)

[-kō′lines′tərās]

an enzyme present at the endings of voluntary nerves and parasympathetic involuntary nerves and autonomic nerve ganglia. It inactivates and prevents the accumulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine released during nerve impulse transmission by hydrolyzing the substance to choline and acetate. The action reduces or prevents excessive firing of neurons at neuromuscular junctions.

Acetylcholinesterase

A hydrolase in the membrane of postsynaptic cells which metabolises acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid in the synaptic cleft, restoring it to a ground state, in preparation for the next nerve impulse.Location CNS, red cells, motor endplates

acetylcholinesterase

Neurophysiology A hydrolase that metabolizes acetylcholine to acetyl and choline in the synaptic cleft, restoring it to a ground state, in preparation for the next nerve impule; acetylcholinesterase is found in the CNS, RBCs, motor endplates

a·ce·tyl·cho·lin·es·ter·ase

(AChE) (as'ĕ-til-kō'lin-es'tĕr-ās)

One of a family of enzymes capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of acetylcholine.

acetylcholinesterase

An ENZYME that rapidly inactivates ACETYLCHOLINE by breaking it down to acetic acid and choline. Also known as cholinesterase.

acetylcholinesterase

the enzyme present in the synaptic cleft that destroys acetylcholine (see END PLATE).

Acetylcholinesterase

acetylcholinesterase

An enzyme that degrades and inactivates acetylcholine. This compound is mainly found in neurons and at neuromuscular junctions. Drugs that inhibit this enzyme (e.g. diisopropyl fluorophosphate, physostigmine, edrophonium, echothiophate, DFP) can be used in the diagnosis and possible treatment of myasthenia gravis as well as certain forms of esotropia and glaucoma. Syn. specific cholinesterase. Seeanticholinesterase drugs.

a·ce·tyl·cho·lin·es·ter·ase

(as'ĕ-til-kō'lin-es'tĕr-ās) [MIM*100740]

Cholinesterase that hydrolyzes acetylcholine to acetate and choline within the central nervous system and at peripheral neuroeffector junctions (e.g., motor endplates and autonomic ganglia).

acetylcholinesterase

an enzyme present in nervous tissue, muscle and red cells that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetylcholine to choline and acetic acid; called also true cholinesterase. Abbreviated AChE.

acetylcholinesterase antagonists

organophosphorus compounds and carbamates that act by inactivating acetylcholinesterase; hence poisoning by these compounds has parasympatheticomimetic manifestations.

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